IT'S MAGIC IN MINOT
FROM THE 2022 CHAIR
Randy Hauck 2022 Board Chair
Verendrye Electric Cooperative
This past year was a very busy and successful year for your Minot Area Chamber EDC (MACEDC) It was year two of our newly formed organization that resulted from the merger of the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce with the Minot Area Development Corporation
Some of the highlights of 2022 include the completion of the Logistics Park of ND intermodal ramp. This is a project that has been worked on by your Chamber EDC since 2017. Today we have an operational intermodal ramp that is fully owned, including the land and aboveground assets, by the MACEDC. We have secured a long-term lease with an operator, Greg Oberting and the Minot Rail Modal Group The ramp is up and running and is being used to ship containers of value-added ag products and commodities to the Northwest Seaport Alliance where they are then shipped across the world on a regular basis
We were also successful in completing a significant rail expansion at the port in 2022, allowing for the handling of full unit trains without decoupling This $2 3 million project was made possible with the help of a state grant approved during the 2021 Legislative Session Our intermodal project was recognized by the Economic Development Association of North Dakota as the Project of the Year in 2022
The number one responsibility of a Board of Directors is to make sure we have the right person in charge of the organization With the retirement of longtime President of the Minot Area Chamber John MacMartin in May of last year, your Board of Directors hired Brekka Kramer as the new President | CEO of MACEDC Brekka has hit the ground running and has already proven she is the right person for the job I also want to express gratitude to John for his many years of service as the leader of the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce
With Brekka’s leadership, your Chamber EDC Board of Directors spent time creating a five-year strategic plan for the organization This plan, which has been adopted by the Board of Directors, sets up five pillars or foundational anchors for the organization They are Economic Development, Community Development, Workforce Development, Member-Investor Services, and Military Support. Current Chair Kevin Black is helping lead the way so we have success in each one of these strategic pillars.
There are many more 2022 success stories to share. I invite you to read about them on the pages that follow.
Over the years I have had the privilege and honor to serve as the Chair of the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce, the Minot Area Development Corporation, and this past year as the chair of the Minot Area Chamber EDC Without doubt I can say your current Board of Directors is the most dedicated and engaged board on which I have served A big thank you goes out to the MACEDC Board of Directors for their commitment to our mission and vision With Brekka’s and the MACEDC Board's leadership, the future is certainly looking bright
Randy Hauck 2022 Board Chair
OUR 2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Randy Hauck CHAIR Verendrye Electric Cooperative
Kevin Black CHAIR-ELECT Creedence Energy Services
BOARD MEMBERS
Ryan Ackerman Ackerman-Estvold
Bucky Anderson Ward County Commission
Cassidy Hjelmstad VICE-CHAIR SRT
Missy FeistErickson TREASURER Peoples State Bank
Jonn Knecht PAST CHAIR Bravera Bank
Brekka Kramer PRESIDENT | CEO & CORPORATE SECRETARY Minot Area Chamber EDC
Les Knudson AGT Foods
Mayor Tom Ross City of Minot
Jason Zimmerman Minot Area Community Foundation
Dr. Mark Vollmer Minot Public Schools
Randy Schwan Trinity Health
2022 COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Shana Forster AGRIBUSINESS
Kathy Aas GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
Keli Rosselli-Sullivan AMBASSADORS
Paul Kramer INFRASTRUCTURE
Mark J. Jantzer TASK FORCE 21
Kent Kirkhammer ENERGY
Tom Rafferty MILITARY AFFAIRS
Rianne Kuhn WOMEN CONNECT
Dr. Steven Shirley Minot State University
OUR TEAM
MINOT AREA CHAMBER EDC
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & MILITARY LIAISON
COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH SPECIALIST
MOTOR VEHICLE DEPARTMENT
Carla Dolan VICE PRESIDENT
Mark Lyman
Keli RosselliSullivan
Chanda DeCent FINANCE DIRECTOR
Jaime Hauge EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Tim Olson
Lacey Coleman MANAGER
Tammy Hanson CLERK
Wendy Keldson CLERK
Tracey Oja Zeretzke
Kimberly Reedy CLERK
Elise Vannett CLERK
Marie Sanders ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Destiny Waddle CLERK CLERK
SUCCESS STORIES
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN ESTABLISHED
How will Minot look five years from today? And what role will the Minot Area Chamber EDC play in creating a bright future for the Magic City?
Those questions are at the heart of our organization's Strategic Plan, which was finalized in December of 2022 It will guide our organization through December 31, 2027
The plan is centered around five key strategic pillars, all of which support MACEDC's vision to be the go-to organization for our business community to drive key initiatives that build and strengthen our economy
PILLARS OF FOCUS:
DEVELOPMENT
MINOT BRINGS HOME TWO MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARDS
The Magic City received two major accolades at the 2022 fall conference of the Economic Development Association of North Dakota (EDND):
The Minot Area Chamber EDC was presented the EDND Project of the Year Award for the Intermodal Transportation Facility at the Logistics Park of North Dakota, which provides producers, processors, and other businesses with a direct rail route from Minot to ports on the west coast.
Aksal Group, founded by Jessica and Ryan Ackerman, received the 2022 Community Development Award for their efforts to develop and improve quality of life in downtown Minot
SUCCESS STORIES
GROUNDBREAKING FOR MINOT NORTH H.S.
A ceremony to celebrate the construction and renovation work on Minot North High School and Minot Area Workforce Academy took place in October of 2022 at the future home of both locations in northwest Minot
"This is a huge step to an even better learning environment for our high school students," Dr Mark Vollmer, Superintendent of Minot Public Schools, said at the event "It is an exciting time for our city "
In December of 2021, the citizens of Minot overwhelmingly passed a bond referendum for two comprehensive 9-12 high schools and a third middle school in Minot. The Minot Area Chamber EDC supported the Yes for Students campaign in favor of
the referendum. The project involves construction, remodeling, and repurposing the former Cognizant building. It also includes improvements at Magic City Campus, CTE space, and repurposing Central Campus to serve 6th-8th graders.
MAJOR WORK: $2.3M TRACK EXPANSION AT LOGISTICS PARK OF NORTH DAKOTA
Significant progress was made to expand rail capacity at the Logistics Park of North Dakota's intermodal rail facility in 2022
The project involved about 4,300 feet of new rail, as well as modifications to utilities, drainage, and roadways to accommodate the expansion
The project, which was undertaken by Strata Corporation, began in mid-September of 2022. The work was deemed "substantially complete" on January 5, 2023. As a result of the project, the process of receiving train cars, loading containers on wells, and shipping North Dakota products to market can be accomplished more effectively and efficiently
SUCCESS STORIES
A statewide initiative to attract people to live and work in North Dakota found its first success in Minot
Travis High, now a technician at ProIT, came to Minot from Washington state via the Find the Good Life campaign
"I am loving the area so far and really looking forward to my new life here," Travis told MACEDC upon his arrival.
In summer of 2022 Travis was exploring IT careers in other states when he discovered Find the Good Life. After speaking with several local community members and being connected with job opportunities, he decided to move to Minot and take a position at ProIT.
Find the Good Life has since helped several more people discover opportunities in North Dakota. Anyone interested in utilizing the program to start their path to the Good Life can visit findthegoodlife.com.
E D U C A T I O N
1 GROUNDBREAKING
$1.8 Million
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3 , 9 8 7
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1 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OF THE
41 N E W MEMBERINVESTORS
6 6 5 BUSINESSES REPRESENTED
319 MEMBER NEWS STORIES SHARED
WHO WE ARE
OUR MISSION
It is the mission of the Minot Area Chamber EDC to advocate for and invest in business activity by being a collaborative partner in the community, focused on improving quality of life for all
OUR VISION
To be the go-to organization for our business community to drive key initiatives that build and strengthen our economy.
OUR VALUES
Advocacy: We serve as the champion and voice for business by representing the best interests of our member-investors at local, regional, and national levels.
Catalyst: We are a catalyst and convener for regional economic development focused on business expansion, retention and recruitment.
Collaboration: We are stronger and better together. Partnership is the core of what we do, working together to strengthen our community.
Community: We focus on creating a diverse community in which people want to live, work, and play.
Leadership: We encourage community involvement and provide opportunities for engagement and leadership development.
Integrity: We are stewards of the community resources with which we have been entrusted.
THE BOARD CHAIRS WHO PAVED THE WAY FORWARD
Minot Area Chamber of Commerce
C E Danielson
Dr R W Pence
G.D. Colcord
Hal S. Davies
Robert E. Barron
A.M. Christensen
R.J. Coughlin
C.D. Aaker
Henry J. Brosnahan
W H Dunnell
D H Griffith
R A Russell
C C Hvambsal
H J Westlie
R A H Brandt
Lloyd E Arndt
H M Grant
Ray C Dobson
W.M. Harrington
T.A. Solheim
L. Donald Thorson
Lester Dahlen
Ray C. Miller
Reuben P. Krebsbach
A.R. Weinhandl
Morris O. Broschat
R J McDonnell
Alton C Anderson
W R Williams
Glen W Benson
George M Johnson
Jack Coughlin
George Fowler
Charles Westlie
Ralph Christensen
W.D. Johnson
Chester Reiten
Roy A. Ilvedson
Alvin Braun
Forrest Baker
1921-24 1924-26
Harold Brunner
Jim Fisher
Clair Watne
Orlin Backes
Douglas Anderson
Lynn Aas
Ken Johnson
Leo Makelky
Warren Sands
Al Kramer
Jim Maragos
Archie Peterson
O.H. Mittelberg
Harriet Herigstad
Ernie Selland
Dr. George Christensen
Karen Krebsbach
Art Ekblad
Gary Kramlich
M E "Buzz" Syria
Larry Thompson
Jim Montgomery
Tom Stockert
Gloria Emerson
Mark V. Larson
Rich Allen
Mark J. Jantzer
Ed J. Steckler
Randy Burckhard
Jim Searcy
Bruce R. Carlson
Lyn Dockter-Pinnick
1959-60
1960-61 1961-62 1962-63
1963-64
Pete Hankla
John Stewart
Christine Morsfiled
Richard White
Pete Zimmerman
David Reiten
Rob Dick
Terry Zeltinger
Brekka Kramer
F. Bruce Walker
Jonn Knecht
1970-71
Randy Hauck
Alan Estvold
Duane Poynter
Jessica Merchant
Jason Zimmerman
Doug Hollingsworth
Tom Rafferty
Jeff McElwain
Minot Area
Development
Corporation
T.A. Solheim
Morris Broschat
George Johnson
Doug Anderson
Al Braun
Roald Mattson
Leo P Makelky
Robert A Wheeler
Clair A Watne
C Morris Anderson
Ed Schmit
Jim Jensen
Eldon Seelig
Lanny Wade
Ken Johnson
John Pierson
J.J. "Joe" Vihstadt
Tim Kretschmar
Gary L. Wickre
Bob Horne
John Petrik
John Hoeven
Marv Semrau
M E "Buzz" Syria
Bob Lamont
Rich Campbell
Terry Hoff
John Stewart
Michael Zaun
Clayton Fegley
Mark Nisbet
Buzz Stitzer
Daryl Somerville
Jim Montgomery
Kathleen Gaddie
Randy Burckhard
Darwin Langseth
Karen Krebsbach
Jim Maxson
Jay Fisher
Matt Kramer
Kathy Aas
David Reiten
Darrell Olson
Steve Bigelow
Jim Montgomery
Jim Rostad
Brekka Kramer
Randy Hauck
Minot Area
Chamber EDC
Jonn Knecht
Randy Hauck
